Re: [RFC] bytecomp: simple source-level optimization

[Stefan Monnier <monnier@iro.umontreal.ca>]

>> Source forms like:
>> (if (= (point) (point-min)) ...)
>> or:
>> (if (eq (point-max) (point)) ...)
>> are widely used,
> IMHO a very useful move. However, as this is suboptimal style,
> probably fixing the source --and spread the message-- is better than
> fixing it afterwards.

Indeed, it's very common for compilers to perform optimization of
"silly" expressions like (+ 4 5) or things like that.  The purpose is
not to compensate for the stupidity of the programmer but to eliminate
stupidity introduced by earlier code transformations
(e.g. macro-expansion, inlinling or other optimizations).

If we thing it's undesirable source code, we should add warnings in the
byte-compiler.  If OTOH we think it's perfectly fine source code (saving
the programmer the trouble of remembering the existence and meaning of
bobp/eobp), then it might be worthwhile to add the optimization in the
byte-compiler indeed.


        Stefan